Heat tickets a hot commodity with LeBron coming to town
INDIANAPOLIS — It has been the ultimate speculative market in recent years, whether LeBron James would play in Miami.
Now, with James’ shift to the Western Conference and his Los Angeles Lakers making their lone visit to South Florida this Sunday, the guesswork comes at a significant risk.
According to TickPick, a secondary-market seller, prices to see Sunday’s 6 p.m. game between the Lakers and Heat are 158 per cent more expensive than the Heat’s season average, with a current average listing price, according to the outlet, of $560.
According to a release issued Friday, the TickPick “get-in” price at AmericanAirlines Arena is $97. By comparison, tickets to the following game on the Heat’s two-game homestand, Tuesday night against the Brooklyn Nets, are available for as low as $10.
According to the Heat’s official ticket outlet, tickets for the Lakers’ visit are available, as of Friday, starting at $103.50, plus fees, in the top-tier balcony level. The costliest ticket, as of Friday, was $3,450 for a Row 1 ticket in Section 120.
Somewhat complicating the equation is that the Lakers will be coming off a Saturday 7 p.m. game against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. James, however, not only has appeared in each of the Lakers’ 14 games to this stage, he also appeared in every game last season for the Cleveland Cavaliers, including their lone visit to AmericanAirlines Arena.
James spent four seasons with the Heat, advancing to the Finals each year from 2011 to 2014, with NBA championships in 2012 and ’13 alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
Wade is expected to miss Sunday’s game as he’s away from the team following the birth of his daughter in the Los Angeles area two weeks ago.
While the Heat presented a commemorative video that drew hearty applause during his first game back at AmericanAirlines Arena following his July 2014 return to the Cavaliers in free agency, James also has been met with derision for sitting out games at AmericanAirlines Arena, including a 2015 chant of “LeBron is tired!”
At one stage, James sat out of three games in a stretch of four Cavaliers visits to South Florida.
Prior to last season’s appearance, James had not played at AmericanAirlines Arena since March 19, 2015. James is 0-5 in games he has played in Miami since leaving for the Cavaliers.
Sunday stands as a unique Sunday showcase for the Heat with the NFL’s Dolphins in their bye week.